SaaS Metrics
Use the UK ETA app to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to come to the UK.
Who can apply
Find out if you need an ETA to travel to the UK at: https://www.gov.uk/electronic-travel-authorisation.
How to apply on the UK ETA app
1. Take a photo of your passport.
2. Scan the chip in your passport.
3. Scan your face.
4. Take a photo of yourself.
5. Answer some questions about yourself.
6. Pay for your application.
It should only take 10 minutes to apply.
You do not need to enter your travel details.
Before you start
To apply you will need:
• an iPhone 8 or newer with IOS 16 or later
• the passport you will use to travel to the UK
• a credit card, debit card or Apple Pay
• access to your emails
If you're applying for someone else they must be with you. If they are not, you should apply online at: https://www.gov.uk/electronic-travel-authorisation.
After you apply
You’ll get a decision by email from UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), usually within a day. Allow up to 3 working days (Monday to Friday) to get a decision, but it may arrive much sooner.
The email will contain your 16 digit ETA reference number.
You must wait until you get an email confirming you have an ETA before you travel to the UK.
If you have not received a decision after 3 working days, check your spam or junk email folder before contacting UKVI.
You may get decisions at different times to other people you applied for.
Your ETA will be linked to the passport you applied with. You only need to show your passport when you travel to the UK.
Privacy and security
The app is safe and secure. No information is stored on the app or your phone after you close it. You can delete the app after you have completed your application.
For information on staying safe online visit the UK Cyber Aware website: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/home
Accessibility
You can read our accessibility statement at: https://confirm-your-identity.homeoffice.gov.uk/register/eta-app-accessibility
Product Positioning & Context
Related Ecosystem & Alternatives
Discover adjacent products, open-source repositories, and developer tools sharing similar technical architecture.
Deep-Dive FAQs
What is UK ETA?
UK ETA is a digital product or tool described as: Home Office
Where did UK ETA originate?
Data for UK ETA was aggregated directly from the Apple App Store community ecosystem, representing raw developer and early-adopter sentiment.
When was UK ETA publicly launched?
The initial public indexing or launch date for UK ETA within our tracked developer communities was recorded on October 23, 2023.
How popular is UK ETA?
UK ETA has achieved measurable traction, logging over 1,290 reviews and facilitating 3 recorded discussions or engagements.
Which technical categories define UK ETA?
Based on metadata extraction, UK ETA is categorized under topics such as: Utilities, Travel.
What are some commercial alternatives to UK ETA?
Our semantic intelligence engine identifies potential commercial alternatives in the SaaS space, such as localskills.sh, which offers overlapping value propositions.
How does the creator describe UK ETA?
The original author or development team describes the product as follows: "Use the UK ETA app to apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to come to the UK.
Who can apply
Find out if you need an ETA to travel to the UK at: https://www.gov.uk/electronic-travel-..."
Community Voice & Feedback
This is a terrible app created to make the user do the work of immigration staff and pay a fee for doing it for them. In addition, LHR by design does not have “sterile” airside transit unlike many airports around the world and foreign transit passengers have to pay for this flaw. Typical British style of asking others to pay for them to loot in broad daylight. These thieves never reform.
I spent hours trying to use this app. It’s awful. It doesn’t accept any pictures of my passport photo page. It has no useful help. Just a total waste of technology.
If the passport chip scanning works for you (newer passport and newer smartphone), then it’s seamless
Did two applications for UK ETA. Both were completed in about 10 minutes and approved in about a minute. Very easy if you know a couple things.
First, if the app says problem after taking a photo (both passport and face) retake the photo until it says it’s OK. Don’t submit a photo if doesn’t say approved.
Take pictures in bright light, like near a window. And position so no reflections.
For your face photo, make sure there is no shadow on a plain wall behind you.
Lastly, this is the official UK gov app. It cost £20 each. Others apps often cost several times more.
First, if the app says problem after taking a photo (both passport and face) retake the photo until it says it’s OK. Don’t submit a photo if doesn’t say approved.
Take pictures in bright light, like near a window. And position so no reflections.
For your face photo, make sure there is no shadow on a plain wall behind you.
Lastly, this is the official UK gov app. It cost £20 each. Others apps often cost several times more.
Some of our government processes should take a hint from this. Very easy.
From the time I downloaded the app until my ETA was approved (that is, the entire process) took 16 minutes. That said, trying to get my passport chip scanned took 8 of those minutes and was a complete waste of time. When you get to that part just choose the ‘skip’ option and continue on.
The app is not a reliable way to submit your application. You need to take a photo of your passport and a photo of your face and if either photo is even a little off, they’ll deny your application but keep your money.
Doesn’t have to do much, but worked fine (iPhone 17).
This app has one purpose, to get an eta for travel. It doesn’t even work for that. The app was incapable of scanning my passport, which I know works because I had to scan it for a Ryanair flight a week ago. It also was unable to submit my documentation once I skipped the scan. This whole process is a waste of time and money and shouldn’t be required of people transiting through UK airports.
Needs help from IT specialist. Cumbersome
Clear instructions, and a smooth process. It took no more than 10 minutes from start-up to application approval (on an iPhone from the US).
This app walks you through every step and explains what you need to do. I quickly got approved.
I cant pay with my card, there is no place to put the card number…
As far as these Apps go, it isn’t the worst. I wish they did better with photo technology - it always takes so many times to get it right. Also, the App gets stuck at postcode and zip code entry and you need to go back and do it again by deleting the page. Something is wrong with the code. Final thing - message says because you are in Canada you need to pay in USD. Unreal. We are a different country. With an established currency. Do you make French people pay in USD? It’s weird as there are well established FX currency portals with easy to implement code. Again, seems like a starter app programmer.
This app made it easy to apply for an ETA. I appreciated the guided process and the clear visuals that accompanied each step. Zero problems.
Discovery Source
Apple App Store Aggregated via automated community intelligence tracking.
Tech Stack Dependencies
No direct open-source NPM package mentions detected in the product documentation.
Media Tractions & Mentions
No mainstream media stories specifically mentioning this product name have been intercepted yet.
Deep Research & Science
No direct peer-reviewed scientific literature matched with this product's architecture.